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A new commissioner joins the DOT

Meet the New Hampshire Department of Transportation’s new commissioner, William Cass.

What is your background in transportation?

I graduated from UNH with a degree in civil engineering, and I started right out of UNH working for the New Hampshire Department of Transportation. I’ve worked my whole career here, 37 years. Most of my career track has been through project development. I started out in highway design as an entry-level civil engineer and worked my way up into several management and leadership positions. Ultimately I was the head of the preliminary design section, which was charged at the time with implementing the 10-year plan and starting out those projects. From there I became the chief project manager and then came down to the executive office as assistant director of project development, then director of project development. Most recently, prior to becoming the commissioner, I was the assistant commissioner and chief engineer for the last seven years.

What does your job as commissioner entail?

It’s overseeing all aspects of the department. Right now we’re in some legislative sessions … [because] we have the budget coming out. I spent most of my day today over at the legislature having some introductory meetings with some committees, giving them an overview of the department and what it is and what it is we do. Other than that, it’s handling departmental issues, which could range from personnel matters to project-related issues, to constituent issues or any manner of activities that require a commissioner-level decision.

What would you like to accomplish as commissioner?

I’ve come into this probably with more of an internal focus than an external focus, like focusing on the morale of our workforce and on telling the story of how incredibly talented our people are and how amazingly dedicated they are to what they do.

How would you describe your leadership style?

I view myself as a consensus-builder. I really want to pull people together, build consensus, work collaboratively and use the best of everybody’s abilities. We have some amazingly talented people … with a pretty diverse set of disciplines, whether it be in engineering or operations or traffic signal maintenance or administering federal programs. Giving them the opportunity to shine and do what they do best is really how I approach things. I value everybody’s opinion and perspective on an issue or whatever it is we’re dealing with.

What are some of the biggest challenges you’re up against right now?

We have a lot of challenges, as a lot of other agencies do right now, with workforce development. We’re dealing with some historic vacancy rates and having a lot of trouble recruiting and retaining trained workforce. The other thing that kind of goes hand in hand with that is inflation, both in terms of construction projects as well as in our own materials that we buy, [such as] road salt, gasoline and diesel fuel. All of those have been [subject to] supply chain issues and the overall impacts of inflation.

What do you find rewarding about this work?

The biggest reward is being in public service … and being able to accomplish things and see projects get completed. Being able to drive over that bridge that we’ve replaced and having been a part of making that happen is really rewarding.

What would you like people to know about the department?

How hard-working and dedicated and committed everybody here at the department is, and the care that we take to do a good job for the people of New Hampshire. When we have storms, there are people working around the clock on winter maintenance. If it snows all night, they are out there all night. I don’t know if everybody realizes that. So, if you’re reading this, next time you pass a snow plow, give them a thumbs up or something and let them know that you appreciate them, and remember that we are working with a reduced workforce, so please be patient with us.

Featured photo: William Cass. Courtesy photo.

News & Notes 23/02/09

Historic awards

The Manchester Historic Association has selected five honorees for its 31st Annual Historic Preservation Awards. According to a press release, the awards recognize and support the efforts of individuals, businesses and organizations that have made significant contributions to the preservation of buildings, neighborhoods, traditions and other historic resources in Manchester. The honorees include the city’s recently restored Civil War Memorial at Veterans Park for the City Landmark Award; Michael and Lynn Murphy for the Homeowner’s Award; Linda Murphy of Bare Knuckle Murphy’s Boxing for the Adaptive Reuse Award; Grace Episcopal Church’s Grace House for the Stewardship Award; and Justine “Brownie” Gengras for the Lifetime Achievement Award. An awards celebration will be held on Tuesday, May 23, at Saint Anselm College in Manchester. Visit manchesterhistoric.org.

Historic places

The New Hampshire Division of Historical Resources has added three properties to the New Hampshire State Register of Historic Places, according to a press release. The properties include Blazing Star Grange Hall No. 71 in Danbury, built in 1911 under the leadership of the group’s first female master; the Dudley Gilman Homestead in Belmont, built by Revolutionary War veteran Corporal Dudley Gilman in circa 1785; and the Milford Town Hall and Library Annex, built in 1869 and designed by prominent Boston architect Gridley J. F. Bryant. Visit nh.gov/nhdhr to learn more about the properties.

Statewide report card

The New Hampshire Statewide Assessment System will be administered to students from March 7 through June 16 to track and evaluate educational progress in the state. According to a press release, the testing will measure English language arts and math proficiency among students in grades 3 through 8 and science proficiency among students in grades 5, 8 and 11. SAT exams will be administered to high school juniors between March 22 and April 4, depending on the district. “Assessment data allows school districts to create targeted strategies for students performing at the lower end of the achievement scale, as well as accelerated students that are highly advanced, which is vitally important in the aftermath of the pandemic,” Frank Edelblut, education commissioner, said in the release. “Understanding the data helps to improve teaching, identify supports and determine whether interventions are necessary — knowing that the needs of our students are our top priority.” The New Hampshire Department of Education has partnered with Tutor.com to provide free tutoring and test preparation services to students in grades 6 through 12. Visit tutor.com/nhed for details on how to access those services.

Leadership NH

Leadership New Hampshire is accepting applications for its intensive statewide leadership program. According to a press release, the program connects and educates a diverse cohort of emerging and established leaders in the state to increase civic engagement and strengthen communities. Over 10 months, from September 2023 to May 2024, participants will attend 12 seminar sessions across the state, exploring topics such as the justice system, education, culture and arts, government and politics, health care, the environment, and the economy. Applicants should demonstrate passionate commitment to New Hampshire’s future, accomplishment in their field, involvement in community activities and the time and energy to devote to the sessions. The application submission deadline is March 15. Applicants will be notified of their acceptance status by June. Visit leadershipnh.org or email info@leadershipnh.org.

Arts partnership

Kimball Jenkins, a community arts and cultural center in Concord, has partnered with Queerlective, a statewide group based in Manchester, as a fiscal sponsor to help the group in its mission to provide more support to New Hampshire’s diverse creative community and create inclusive and safe spaces where the arts can be used for personal and community growth. “Queerlective has been a leader in producing art happenings and events that center queer,

BIPOC and underserved communities,” Julianne Gadoury, executive director of Kimball Jenkins, said in a press release. “Kimball Jenkins is honored to serve as a fiscal sponsor, which will allow people who are part of these communities, and most closely connected, to lift up and amplify their voices and needs in the most authentic way possible.” Visit kimballjenkins.com and queerlective.com.

New mascot

New Hampshire Technical Institute, Concord’s Community College, has introduced a new design for its mascot, Leroy the Lynx. According to a press release, the design, created by NHTI visual arts student Valerie Deforge and selected by a campus-wide vote, depicts Leroy with bold lines, fresh colors and expressive motion. “Our new design pays homage to our historical Leroy the Lynx and evolves us into the modern era of collegiate community and competition,” Amber Gavriluk, NHTI’s marketing officer, said in the release. “Leroy represents the new rallying point around which our students, faculty, and staff can feel belonging in our diverse community. And this new design offers a strong brand identity and personality that can lead us boldly into the future.” NHTI will replace previous mascot designs with the new one over the next year.

The New Hampshire Department of Transportation will host a public informational meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 15, at 6 p.m. at the Community Building in Loudon (29 S. Village Road) to discuss proposed improvements at the intersection of Route 106, South Village Road and Chichester Road in Loudon. According to a press release, these would include widening the road and adding signalization to the intersection. Visit nh.gov/dot/projects to learn more.

Canterbury Shaker Village, a completely preserved Shaker village established in 1792, received a nearly $110,000 matching grant award from the New Hampshire Land and Community Heritage Investment Program to fund construction of a new roof for its Dwelling House, a National Historic Landmark. The project is expected to begin this spring, according to a press release.

New Hampshire residents pursuing post-secondary education in medicine, nursing or social work are invited to apply for the Yarnold Scholarship. Funded by a trust established by Rollinsford couple Alice M. Yarnold and Samuel Yarnold, scholarships are awarded to 30 to 40 students each year in amounts ranging from $1,000 to $5,000, according to a press release. Interested students may call Yarnold Scholarship administrative representative Laura Ramsdell at 766-9121 to receive an application.

This Week 23/02/02

Big Events February 2, 2023 and beyond

Thursday Feb. 2

Today is the last day to purchase tickets for the Snowball Gala hosted by the Educational Farm at Joppa Hill. The gala will have live music, live and silent auctions, a photo booth, a surf and turf dinner, and more. The gala is on Saturday, Feb. 4, at 6 p.m. at the Manchester Country Club (180 S. River Road, Bedford). Tickets cost $100 a person and can be purchased at educational-farm-at-joppa-hill.square.site.

Friday, Feb. 3

Catch “Masters of the Telecaster” G.E. Smith and Jim Weider tonight at the Tupelo Music Hall (10 A St. in Derry; tupelomusichall.com) at 8 p.m. Tickets cost $40. Find more concerts this weekend in the concert listings on page 34.

Saturday, Feb. 4

The Queen City Rotary Club’s annual Comedy Bowl returns tonight at St. George’s Greek Orthodox Cathedral (650 Hanover St. in Manchester). A social hour starts at 6 p.m., a buffet dinner starts at 7 p.m. and the comedy starts at 8 p.m. with a lineup including Joe Yannetty, Jody Sloane, Jeff Koen and Rafi Gonzalez, according to queencityrotary.org. The event also features a silent auction and a cash bar with proceeds from the event benefiting youth charities and agencies in Manchester, according to a press release. Tickets cost $50; call 391-1110 to purchase.

Saturday, Feb. 4

There will be a Valentine’s craft and vendor fair at the Eagles Wing Function Hall (10 Spruce St. in Nashua) today from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. There will be more than 40 vendors and crafters selling handmade goods, valentine-themed sweets and treats, and more. For more information, visit facebook.com/BazaarCraftEvents.

Sunday, Feb. 5

The Mt. Kearsarge Indian Museum (18 Highlawn Road in Warner) is hosting a mid-winter social today starting at 2 p.m. The social will have dancing, a potluck dinner and a performance by the Black Thunder Singers. Reservations are not required for this event. Visit indianmuseum.org for more information.

Wednesday Feb. 8

The Rex Theatre (23 Amherst St. in Manchester) is doing a special screening for the 100th anniversary of the silent filmSafety Last tonight at 7 p.m. The film will have live musical accompaniment by Jeff Rapsis. Safety Last is a comedy that follows famous silent film actor Harold Lloyd’s character as he tries to make his mark on the Big City and impress his sweetheart in the process. Tickets cost $10 and can be purchased at the door or in advance at palacetheatre.org.

Save the Date! Oscar Watch Party
Celebrate awards season with the Red River Theatres (11 S. Main St. in Concord) with a special Oscar watch party on Sunday, March 12, at 7 p.m. The theater invites attendees to sit back, unwind and watch one of the biggest award shows of the season. Comfortable clothing, including pajamas, is encouraged. Tickets cost $50 and can be purchased online at redriv ertheatres.org. As part of its Oscar Party Weekend, Red River is also hosting an Oscar Party Trivia Night on Saturday, March 11, at 6 p.m. For this night, the dress code is Hollywood glamor and tickets ($90 per person or $760 for a table) for a red carpet experience, food (dinner is served at 7 p.m.) and a trivia game, according to the website. Trivia night will take place at the Grappone Conference Center (70 Constitution St. in Concord).

Featured photo. Jody Sloane.

The week that was

Brady vs. Manning – The Sequel: The games with Tom Brady facing Peyton Manning-led teams were the marquee NFL events for the first 15 years of the 21st century. It was bigger than the teams themselves; when Manning moved to Denver, Indianapolis all but disappeared from the radar and Denver vs. New England became the game everyone circled on the calendar. But after four straight games decided by three points, two of which went to overtime and the other two of which were decided by last-second field goals, and having Cincy and KC in the last four Super Bowls, we now have a successor to Manning vs. Brady. Because even with the league filled with a boatload of talented young quarterbacks, after the last two AFC title game thrillers it is clearly Patrick Mahomes vs. Joe Burrow. Both have the same coolness under fire, with the added dimension of greater mobility to use their legs when needed, as Mahomes did in Sunday’s cataclysmic play. And with great weapons to collaborate with on offense, sturdy young teams behind them and having a coach who’s much better than it seemed two years ago and another whose next stop will be the Hall of Fame, Bengals vs. Chiefs will be the NFL game to circle over the next 10 years.

Rollin’ into the Hall: I’ve got nothing against Scott Rolen. But after seeing him voted into Baseball’s Hall of Fame last week I will say the “everyone gets a trophy” generation strikes again! Because like in the case of Harold Baines, not once during his career did it ever occur to me that Rolen might be a Famer, let alone should he get in. Not to knock him, because he was a very good longtime player, but sorry, the Hall is honoring greatness, not very goodness. Now my attitude has changed a little bit on it, just being about peak greatness to give a little more deference to guys who rack up numbers because of their longevity, because the durability to do that is a skill.

As for Rolen, they tell you you can’t play “what about him”-ism when it comes to Hall voting. But I say why not? When I heard Rolen was likely to get in I came up with 10 guys, like Dwight Evans, Albert Belle and Dick Allen, who were clearly more impactful in their time than Rolen was. But let’s focus on just two who played the same position: Joe Torre and Graig Nettles. Rolen’s numbers were .281 BA, 316 homers, 1287 RBI, 7 All-Star games and 8 Gold Gloves. But remember, making the All-Star game was taken far more seriously in the past, while Gold Gloves depend on who’s in your era.

In the case of Torre, he outhit Rolen (.292), had more RBI, more 100-RBI seasons and made 9 All-Star games, which he did at three different positions (C, 1B and 3B). Only Pete Rose did that besides him. He had the signature season of 1971 that Rolen never came within three area codes of when he won the batting title (.363) with 230 hits, 137 RBI and was MVP. For good measure he also sometimes hit clean-up for the Braves between Hank Aaron and Eddie Mathews, who for the historically challenged hit a combined 1,266 home runs. In short: Him not being in while Rolen is in is a joke.

The case for Nettles is a lot closer as some of his numbers come from longevity and batting average was not his thing. But he’s got more homers (390), more RBIs (1,314) and a home run title and was a better fielder, though not as many GGs because he played when the spectacular Brooks Robinson did when he always got in on reputation whether he deserved it or not. Plus, Nettles was stationary defensively in the 1978 World Series, while Rolen hit .220 in the postseason.

AFC Championship Game: There are two things that distinguish football from other sports: how the players have to adapt to conditions around them by playing in anything from the searing Miami heat of September to last week’s driving snowstorm in Buffalo, and coping with the injuries most teams have at this time of year. This week was no different, with a 10-degree wind chill in KC, and SF having to play the Wildcat after its third- and fourth-string QBs got knocked out of the game and the Chiefs surviving after losing all but one wide receiver. Not to mention having their QB come into the game a week after suffering an injury that annually took Kelly Olynyk two months to recover from when he was a Celtic. But there was Mahomes throwing for 300 plus and making the game’s most crucial play on a mind-over-matter scramble to get the first down in the final seconds he always seems to get in crunch time before getting smacked out of bounds to get the 15-yard penalty that made the 47-yard FG that sent KC to the Super Bowl doable. So move over, Curt Schilling, because, as young’n Tony Romo astutely mentioned during the broadcast, this one goes up there with the bloody sock game, Willis Reed limping into Game 7 at MSG, and flu-stricken Michael Jordan going for 37 in the NBA Finals. Bravo, Patrick.

NFC Title Game Notes: (1) Nick Sirianni has a very similar resume to Coach B, with a D-III playing career and a million jobs before becoming a young HC at 40. But by getting to the SB in Year 2 he’s five years ahead of Bill. (2) Philly is a lot better than I thought they were. (3) Coach B, please pay attention to how adding two dynamic outside threats (A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith) turned the waiting until someone better comes along Jalen Hurts into an MVP-caliber player, because Mac Jones was better at Alabama than he was.

Email Dave Long at dlong@hippopress.com.

Quality of Life 23/02/02

News your wallet already knows

Data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration collected by Texas-based electricity company Payless Power revealed that New Hampshire is the U.S. state with the biggest jump in electricity prices between August 2021 and August 2022, with a 40 percent increase in cost per kilowatt-hour. The study also found that New Hampshire is the state with the fifth-highest estimated monthly residential electric bill, averaging $173.34, and the sixth-highest cost per kilowatt-hour at 20 cents.

QOL score: -2

Comment: Find the complete study at paylesspower.com/blog/where-to-save-on-your-electric-bill.

Hospitals are crowded

News outlets around the country have reported hospital overcrowding this winter, and New Hampshire is no exception. Earlier this month the New Hampshire Hospital Association tweeted a graph showing a statewide average of 94.9 percent occupancy of staffed hospital beds in December. Hospitals in Concord and Laconia “have been at or above 100% capacity for the past few months, with little or no let-up,” according to a Jan. 23 Concord Monitor Granite Geek story. Workforce shortages and difficulty moving patients to long-term care facilities (which are also crowded and short-staffed) are thought to be behind the crowding, the story said.

QOL score: -2

Comment: Props to the hospital staff trying to keep it all together during long emergency room waits.

Top marks

For the fourth year in a row United Way of Greater Nashua is the recipient of Charity Navigator’s highest rating for nonprofits demonstrating strong financial health and commitment to accountability and transparency. According to a press release, only 21 percent of charities evaluated by Charity Navigator receive the highest rating. “This … indicates that your organization adheres to sector best practices and executes its mission in a financially efficient way … [and] verifies that United Way of Greater Nashua exceeds industry standards and outperforms most charities in your area of work,” Charity Navigator president and CEO Michael Thatcher wrote in the award letter. United Way of Greater Nashua has also received top ratings for accountability, transparency and financial management from the nonprofit reporter GuideStar.

QOL score: +1

Comment: Participate in their fundraising via the upcoming Nashua Nor’easter Winter Walk/Run/Drive Community Fundraiser, taking place Feb. 26 through March 4. Choose the day, distance, method and speed of locomotion to tackle the distance by yourself or with a team, according to a press release.

Rookie of the Week

Breezie Williams, a freshman guard on the University of New Hampshire’s women’s basketball team, was named Rookie of the Week by America East on Jan. 30, according to a press release, her second such designation this season. QOL will let the press release recount the stats: “Williams averaged 11.5 points, 6.0 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.0 steals in 33.9 minutes per game to rank second on the team in scoring and third in rebounding last week. She shot 41.2 percent (7 of 17) from the floor and a perfect 8-for-8 at the foul line. Williams helped lead UNH to its first conference win of the season, a 56-51 victory at UMass Lowell on Jan. 28, by recording 13 points, six rebounds, two steals and an assist.”

QOL score: +1 because QOL likes rooting for all the home teams

Comments: UNH women’s basketball will play a home game on Saturday, Feb. 4, at 1 p.m. vs. Bryant University. Tickets cost $10 ($15 to sit courtside), $5 for kids and seniors for general admission. See unhwildcats.com/tickets.

QOL score: 52

Net change: -2

QOL this week: 50

What’s affecting your Quality of Life here in New Hampshire? Let us know at news@hippopress.com.

Featured photo: Granite United Way Volunteer Income Tax Assistance. Courtesy photo.

The pep talk pod

Luna Smith wants to bring positivity to your day

Luna Smith of Londonderry talked about her new podcast, The Friend In Your Ear Pod, launched Jan. 11, with new episodes released every Wednesday. Find the podcast on all major podcast platforms or visit thefriendinyourearpod.com.

Tell us about you.

I’ve been married to my best friend for over a decade now, and we are parents to a 4-year-old boy and a 6-year-old Boston Terrier. I went to school for Classics but ended up in the creative realm working freelance from home. I’ve been obsessed with self-improvement for as long as I can remember. In my pregnancy I started a blog called “That Blissful Balance,” ignorantly thinking I had figured it out, only to discover postpartum that balance is not what I thought it was. Since starting the podcast I’ve restarted the blog to be more in line with the podcast — less about a perfect balance and more about all the tips and tools that make life a little more blissful, coming from the perspective of a recovering perfectionist with high-functioning anxiety who believes even the smallest changes can make major impacts on the quality of our lives.

What made you want to start a podcast?

I’m a huge fan of podcasts and listen to them daily in the pockets of time I have between drop-offs and pickups, housework and work deadlines. But sometimes I would just want to listen to something that was more personable and uplifting, like a pep talk from a friend on a particularly hard day, and I thought that if I felt that way, perhaps others did, too. So that was the inspiration to create a podcast that did that — a podcast that felt like a friend giving you a hug from afar and telling you you could do it; a friend to give you company, positivity and to help you believe in yourself when you need it.

What is The Friend In Your Ear Pod about?

It’s mainly a self-improvement and positivity podcast, currently in a season of wellness, both mental and physical, and each week is on a different topic. They mostly feel like motivational pep talks with some personal experiences sprinkled in. There’s a new segment called ‘Good News’ to celebrate listeners’ wins, because celebrating small wins makes a big difference. I also do a mantra of the week to further help with cultivating and keeping that positive mindset. But it’s all done in a friendly, encouraging way, like a friend giving you a little boost of positivity with a dose of understanding and empathy.

Who is your target audience?

I wanted to create an accessible space for anyone who could use a little boost of positivity and friendly support in their lives, but being familiar with the struggles of women and mothers in particular, that is who I’d like to offer the most support to with the topics I choose to discuss. Though some challenges are universal, I hope everyone can gain something positive from listening.

Where do you get your material?

Right now the material is mostly derived from my own personal experiences in self-improvement and wellness, though some topics are inspired by friends, and reader submissions are always welcome. I would love to provide friendly support in any way I can.

What are your future plans?

I would love to grow and expand in any way I can to provide these friendly pep talks to as many people who need them. Eventually I would love to bring on guests who can provide more expertise on particular topics, but for now it’s just my voice and experiences from things I’ve been able to accomplish and overcome through the power of positive thinking, like letting go of perfectionism and navigating anxiety to achieve goals and create a life I love.

What would you like listeners to get out of your podcast?

I want listeners to feel seen and supported in whatever they’re going through — to feel like they aren’t alone, and to get the motivation they need to make every day a little better, because every little win counts. I hope together we can create a community that celebrates and supports each other.

Featured photo: Luna Smith. Courtesy photo.

Category: News